Mark My Words

It is hard to believe, but this past August marked my tenth anniversary of writing this column for the Three Rivers Commercial-News. One of my many dreams was to become a writer. I still have that dream, but my ideas for plays, a TV show and a book are still unwritten and sitting in the back of my mind. A …

The first school bell rang on Tuesday for most students in the area. There were first-day jitters for both students, parents, and yes, even teachers, as they all embark on another school year. Some students entered school for the first time or for the last, moving on to a new grade in a new school, leaving elementary behind for middle school, or …

While summer is not officially over, with students (and teachers!) heading back to school, football starting and yes, even the leaves are beginning to change color, all signs point toward the end of summer. For all the big plans I made this summer, sadly, not all of my dreams became a reality. But that is not to say summer was …

From time to time someone will post a status to their Facebook page that asks people to read, comment, share or post as their own status to help “spread the word” about a topic, cause or some event. The most recent one that has popped up within the last week reads: “With school starting I thought it would be nice …

Have you come across Zubat, Gastly, Bellsprout, Rattata, Caterpie, Spearow, Squirtle or Pikachu in your neighborhood? No, they aren’t types of weeds in your yard or new types of insects. Have you seen any in a tree, possibly by your mailbox or relaxing on your patio? Maybe you are asking yourself, “what in the world is he talking about?” I …

“The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.” — Tim Russert Mother’s Day, while not declared a holiday until 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson, the beginnings of the holiday began several years earlier. However, it would be many years, 58 in fact, before fathers would earn the same recognition. The reason it took so long for Father’s …

“We’re all just kids who grew up way too fast.” As a child, I remember thinking to myself, “I can’t wait until I am older.” Life would be so much easier if I was an adult, or so I thought. Of course, as an adult you quickly realize that life is not always as easy as you dreamed it would …

If you are like me, every once in a while, a song comes on the radio that you swear was written for you. Whether the song relates to a situation in your life, your job, a relationship or whatever the event, certain songs can put into words what you are feeling or going through, sometimes in perfect clarity. Some songs …

With the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia this past week, the internet was flooded with the news. When I first read the headline that a Supreme Court Justice had suddenly and unexpectedly passed away, my first thought was “well, depending on who it was, the other side will have a field day with this news”. And sadly, I …

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and for many, it is a day that can cause some extreme stress! We all want to surprise our Valentine with a special gift, a great dinner and a wonderful time. But the worry sets in that maybe we aren’t doing enough, or the gifts won’t be well recieved. Or worse yet, do they even …